Monsanto Bad for Livers as Well as Livelihoods

It looks like Monsanto, the agricultural company that chokes farmers financially, is also hurting our kidneys and livers. The company makes pesticide-resistant crop strains. The resulting food is free of pests (great!) but covered in pesticide residue (less great!). A new study published in the International Journal of Biological Sciences looks at how that pesticide residue on Monsanto brand maize affected rats and concludes:

...our data presented here strongly recommend that additional long-term (up to 2 years) animal feeding studies be performed in at least three species, preferably also multi-generational, to provide true scientifically valid data on the acute and chronic toxic effects of GM crops, feed and foods. Our analysis highlights that the kidneys and liver as particularly important on which to focus such research as there was a clear negative impact on the function of these organs in rats consuming GM maize varieties for just 90 days.

Basically, pesticide residue on Monsanto crops is bad for rats and it's probably bad for you too. And frankly, that's not hard to believe. Germany banned Monsanto maize and French regulators are calling for more study.I don't know what kind of reputation this journal has, but if you have a high tolerance for jargon you can read the whole study yourself here. Rather not risk it with the pesticide residue? You can send a letter of concern to the FDA over at change.org.Via Boing Boing